The present invention relates to a display and input device such as an FA controller or a notebook loaded with an arithmetic processing mechanism having a display such as a cathode-ray tube or a liquid crystal display panel and input means such as switch operating means attached thereto and a display and input system.
As a display and input device having a display and input means for changing representation on the display or performing an input operation to another device on the basis of information inputted through the operation input means, there is an electronic notebook loaded with an arithmetic processing mechanism, an FA controller or the like. It can be said that a personal computer system or the like having a display is also a display and input device having a display capable of variable display and switch operating means such as a keyboard which is input means.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an FA controller CP101 operating a robot or the like as an exemplary display and input device. The controller CP101 inputs an operation instruction to the robot or the like employing switch operating means MSW101 having a mechanical mechanism, for causing a display DP101 to display various information for confirming the input information and comprehending the operating state of the robot. However, the display and input device having such a mode has such problems that it is hard for the user to recognize the association between the displayed information and the switch operating means MSW101 since the display DP101 and the switch operating means MSW101 are separate from each other and there is a high possibility of making erroneous input through a xe2x80x9cfeeling operationxe2x80x9d of performing the operation only with the feeling of his fingers without observing the switch operating means MSW101.
Thus, various display and input devices have been developed so that the association between representation on a display and representation on switch operating means is easy to comprehend. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an FA controller CP102 which is an example thereof. In the controller CP102, switch operating means MSW102 are arranged around a display DP102 thereby rendering the association between information displayed on the display DP102 and the switch operating means MSW102 readily recognizable. When the representation on the display DP102 and the switch operating means MSW102 are thus arranged, it follows that the user performs an unnatural operation of pushing the switch operating means MSW102 without observing the same since the representation on the display DP102 and the representation on the positions of the switch operating means MSW102 do not completely match with each other, so the tendency of pushing the switch operating means MSW102 without observing the display DP102 intensifies, and the tendency of performing a feeling operation further increases, leading to deterioration the reliability of the operation.
There has also been developed a display and input device completely matching representation on a display and representation on switch operating means with each other for eliminating such an unnatural operation. FIG. 3 shows an FA controller CP103 which is an example thereof, provided with a touch switch through which input is performed by touching a surface of a display DP103 with a finger or the like. The display DP103 is rendered to display the shape of switch operating means, so that information is inputted through the touch switch on the display by touching display ISW103 of this switch operating means. Therefore, the user can confirm the operation of pushing the switch operating means while observing the displayed image of a screen, and can reliably perform the operation.
When the user handles the display and input device, as described above, the association between the displayed image and the input means such as the switch operating means is clarified and a reliable operation is enabled as the positional relation thereof is close. Consequently, it can be said that to provide the switch operating means on the display is the most operable and desirable positional relation.
When using a touch switch or the like as the switch operating means on the display, visual confirmation of the switch is indeed easy to perform but the touch switch, hardly having the amount of movement of a switch operation and hence failing to provide the same feeling of pushing, is usually repeatedly pushed. Since, a touch switch does not have the same amount of movement of a mechanical switch further, it cannot cope with a human-unique motion of stopping the switch operation halfway, and therefore has a problem that information input is performed if a switch display part is slightly touched.
When simply arranging mechanical switch operating means on a display, it follows that an opaque part specific to the switch operation means exists on the display and hence there arises a problem that the representation is extremely hard to observe for the user. When the opaque part exists on the display, further, the displaying mode of the display is so limited that no image can be displayed on the overall surface of the display, for example, and the overall representation cannot be effectively utilized.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a display and input device providing switch operating means on a display while maintaining operation feeling of a switch operation and implementing no existence of an opaque part of the switch operating means on the display, for consequently implementing excellent operating environment which can manage both with improvement of reliability of the switch operation and effective use of the display.
It is a second object thereof to provide, in a case of providing a display and input device having switch operating means provided on a display with portability, to provide a display and input device implementing excellent operating environment for an operator grasping the device.
The present invention is directed to a display and input device for displaying information and accepting input operation, which comprises a display displaying information and switch operating means over-arranged on a peripheral edge portion of the display with a part overlapping on the display formed by a transparent member, and further comprises display control means causing the display to display information and causing a part of the display provided with the switch operating means to display a selection menu for switching, and changing means changing representation on the display in response to operation of the switch operating means.
According to the present invention, the transparent member of the switch operating means exists on the display, whereby the user can readily recognize the association between the menus which is the representation of the switch operating means and the actual switch operating means. Thus, erroneous input can be prevented.
According to the present invention, further, no opaque member forming the switch operating means exists on the display but it is possible to display an image on the overall display including the switch operating means while employing the switch operating means as the menu, and a screen can be effectively utilized.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the switch operating means has a transparent switch operating body displaced by a press operation onto the switch operating means; a transparent touch switch provided on the display for performing a switching operation through the displacement of the switch operating body; first magnetic means mounted on the switch operating body; and second magnetic means arranged outside the peripheral edge portion of the display to be opposed to the first magnetic means, and the pressed switch operating body returns to an unpressed state due to magnetic interaction between the first magnetic means and the said second magnetic means.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the switch operating means has a transparent switch operating body displaced by a press operation onto the switch operating means; and opaque switch means provided outside the peripheral edge portion of the display for performing a switching operation due to displacement of the switch operating body.
In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the switch operating means has operation feeling such as stroke feeling or click feeding, and excellent operating environment can be obtained.
The present invention is also directed to a display and input system having a display and input device having such switch operating means.
The present invention is further directed to a portable display and input device having such switch operating means, which is excellent in operability.
The remaining objects and features of the present invention are clarified in the following description.